GREAT WALL OF CHINA

Long considered as one of the Big Apple's most in demand sidemen, in recent years alto-tenor saxophonist Dick Oatts has stepped out as a leader. In this his fifth effort as a leader for SteepleChase seven out of the eight tunes are originals. The band is anchored by his long time rhythm section of Dave Santoro on bass and James Oblon on drums. On three of these tunes he is joined by SteepleChase stalwart pianist Harold Danko whom he first met and played with in the Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra in the late seventies. Ken Dryden of the AMG All Music Guide describes Oatts as having a "fat confident tone." Indeed this is a saxophonist extrordinaire whose instrumental prowess is matched only by his compositional abilities.

HIGH SOCIETY

A long-awaited “jazz” album by the great Ronnie Cuber - “… This new set is a prime of example of Cuber dealing with compositions he knows and appreciates. Material that stands up well to re-examination. He’s in good company and great form.” (Mark Gardner – from the linernotes)

80 ROOTS

Another historical recording from one of the most prolific groups in jazz. Recorded live in Montreaux, in 1974, Kabalaba captures the Art Ensemble during a very strong period for the group. With Muhal Richard Abrahams featured as a special guest, this is a very rare treasure. Kabalaba was originally released on vinyl independently on the Art Ensemble's own label (AECO) in the 70's and reissued on CD in limited quantities. This is the first time that this treasure will be widely available.

George Cables has proved again to be one of the most imaginative trio performers of today’s jazz scene with this his latest CD. “Listening to this absorbing recital by Mr. Cables, it seemed to me that he now epitomises the best of jazz mainstream piano. Here is a session which even the untutored lay listener can enjoy, with the familiarity of most the songs helping the process….” (Mark Gardner from the liner notes)

Dave Stryker’s indeed “striking up” the band on this his latest SteepleChase release in a most impressive and imaginative way as Mark Gardner puts it, “That’s how jazz works at it best, and this is top drawer stuff.”.

C. Andrew Hovan of AllAboutJazz once observed, “What has marked all of Stryker's previous SteepleChase sides has been his penchant to not repeat formats or ideas. Each session sports a different group of musicians and the material covers new ground.” Mr. Hovan’s observation proves true here on Stryker’s latest recording of mesmerizing organ quintet with repertoire raging from Michael Jackson to Clifford Brown together with his originals. “(Stryker) combines tradition and modernity in equal balance, arranges with skill and imagination, teases optimum performances from associates with good-natured relish, and plays the blues with deep felt conviction.” (Mark Gardner – from the liner notes)

MANHATTAN MUSIC

In his new album “Lookin’ Up” Dick Oatts teams up with his colleague and friend of 34 years, veteran trombonist John Mosca. Dick Oatts notes, “I’ve always liked the way alto sax and trombone blend together and I’ve always been meaning to do a CD with John but the music was never quite right for it. So I sat down over the holiday break and wrote the music around John, the alto and the trombone.” Derek Taylor of Master of a Small House describes Dick Oatts’ previous release “Two Hearts (SCCD 31694) as “testament to Oatts’ improvisatory powers”.

Lizzo COCONUT OIL - Coconut Oil is the debut solo EP by American singer and rapper Lizzo. It was OTIGINALLY released in 2016 by Nice Life Recording Company and Atlantic Records, Lizzo's first major-label release. Lizzo co-wrote each song on the album, while enlisting Ricky Reed, Christian Rich, Dubbel Dutch, and Jesse Shatkin for the album's production. The result was a departure from Lizzo's previous hip hop releases. Lyrically, the extended play explores themes of body positivity, self-love, and the journey to those ideals. Coconut Oil received positive reviews from music critics.

A brilliant sequel to the highly acclaimed Standard Issue (SCCD 31439) of 1998, this volume has a welcome addition of pianist Harold Danko on three of the five tracks. In the warm atmosphere of live house, the band gets extra energy from the appreciative audiences. Dick Oatts’ personal sound on alto sax (and tenor sax on one track) is once again a real treat for all listeners.

Ronnie Cuber (b. Dec. 25, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York), recognized as one og the most important baritone saxophonists in jazz today, has been composing, arranging and leading his own groups since 1959. His powerful command of the instrument led him to perform and record with amazing array of influential artists in almost all thinkable range of musical spectrum. Yet, this is the very first of basic jazz trio album by Ronnie Cuber, which should have a special place in his discography. “There is not one of his records that contains any half-hearted playing or musical skating. When he plays, it’s serious creative business and he tells a story. If you pick up anything under Cuber’s name, you’re guaranteed a winner …. This recording, ”Ronnie”, released on SteepleChase records, is one of the most vivid and personal saxophone playing ever done on a baritone saxophone. This CD is a shining example of Cuber’s big, beefy baritone sax tone and a fluent technique that is a one of a kind match between the gritty, down-home feeling of R&B and the advanced harmonies of bebop.” (JazzTimes on SCCD 31680 “Ronnie”)

CLEAN. 2012 sophomore album from the singer, songwriter and international superstar. The album includes production from Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker, Emile Haynie, Diplo and Supa Dups, as well as the Smeezingtons, Mars' three-man songwriting and production team. He notes that the album is more musically varied and refuses to "pick a lane". "Locked Out of Heaven" was released as the lead single from the album. It has been described as having strong influences of New Wave, with striking resemblances to "Message in a Bottle" and "Roxanne" by the Police, the Romantics' "Talking in Your Sleep", and even Michael Jackson's "Beat It", while some have mildly referenced it to the Outfield's "Your Love".

Issued complete for the first time, including several albums new to CD, is the Philips catalogue of the Netherlands Wind Ensemble - an ensemble that made a defining contribution to Dutch musical life in the 1970s. The Netherlands Wind Ensemble began life in 1959 as a wind quintet, but soon expanded to play Classical-era serenades and divertimenti which were hardly known at the time but have since been recognised and enjoyed as masterpieces of entertainment music, notably the Gran Partita of Mozart, the late Octet by Beethoven and the wonderful Octet-Partitas by his Viennese contemporary, Franz Krommer. Starting to record for Philips in 1968, the Netherlands Wind Ensemble immediately won critical praise for the technical precision of it's playing as well as the brilliance and wit of it's interpretations, whether led by it's regular conductor Edo de Waart (himself a former oboist and member of the ensemble) or played as true chamber music. The ensemble made one of the first comprehensive recordings of Mozart's wind music, including miniatures, no less delightful for their brevity and rarity, and a precious but little-known collaboration with the much-loved Dutch soprano Elly Ameling. The youthful, funky vibe of the Netherlands Wind Ensemble was captured by Philips both in exceptionally vivid recordings as well as kooky cover designs, which are reproduced on the sleeves of the issues. A booklet essay by Peter Quantrill outlines the history and character of the ensemble, drawing on a new interview with Edo de Waart. The repertoire extends into the nineteenth century with a classic account of the Wind Serenade by Dvor�k - the ensemble's debut on disc - as well as ingenious arrangements of overtures and arias by Rossini, and a unique collection of 'little marches by great masters'. The Netherland Wind Ensemble's long-standing commitment to modern music is represented by the wind music of Richard Strauss and Stravinsky, and the pioneering Jazz Symphony by the Franco-American 'bad boy' of classical music in the 1920s and 30s, Georges Antheil, recorded live at the 1976 Holland Festival.

Opalescent is a new recording by the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ) that reflects the luminous nature of music. Dedicated to the memory of Australian composer Phillip Houghton, it features his pieces Opals and Wave Radiance, exploring the synesthetic intermingling of light and sound. Other works include Andrew York's Hidden Realm of Light, shimmering with propulsive grooves and bright splashes of color. Kevin Callahan's Alki Point captures the undulating currents and jazzy undertones of Seattle's early settlement site. In homage to the visionary fingerstyle legend Michael Hedges, Matt Greif arranged Aerial Boundaries, Hedges' ethereal anthem. Chorale by Frederic Hand transforms the guitar quartet into an a capella choir, in a lyrical style both profound and uplifting. Robert Beaser's exquisite Chaconne reveals aspects of it's unfolding harmonic pattern within multifaceted shards of light. Finally, Tilman Hoppstock, through his doppelg�nger Alan Willcocks, creates an imagined exhibition of Impressionist paintings in his Suite Transcendent.

Ella Fitzgerald's "Songbook" records - with her peerless renditions of the best songs from iconic composers from Irving Berlin to Rogers & Hart to Cole Porter to George & Ira Gershwin - are the cornerstone of the Verve catalog and the standard for jazz vocal recordings. Ella never released a live version of these Songbooks. This record, discovered in the private collection of Norman Granz, will make the first time a live Songbook has been released from the First Lady of Song.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket. After appearing together at an all-star concert the night before, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong went into an L.A. studio to record this gem of an album. Despite having little to no time for rehearsals, the sublime artistic mastery of Ella and Louis and the instant chemistry they achieved resulted in one of the few truly indispensable recordings in all of jazz. Verve's Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes.

Vinyl LP pressing. 2022 release, the fourth album from the singer and rapper. The album is the follow-up to her 2019 album Cuz I Love You, which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart and was nominated for Album of the Year at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. Special features the single "About Damn Time".

Two CD set. This never-released-before project from The Owsley Stanley Foundation and Claddagh Records is the last ever by the legendary member of The Chieftains, Paddy Moloney. Bear's Sonic Journals: The Foxhunt, The Chieftains Live in San Francisco 1973 & 1976 was recorded live by legendary soundman Owsley "Bear" Stanley, at Boarding House on 1st October 1973, where The Chieftains appeared at the personal invitation of The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia.

Double 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in gatefold jacket. The duo that critics have called "a match made in heaven" are in peak form on the sequel to their 1956 debut. Ella's voice - warm and sweet as honey - and Louis' gravelly croon formed a sound built for commercial success. Ella & Louis Again is a key element of what could be considered the most iconic jazz duo of all time. Verve Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes.

Vinyl LP pressing. 2012 sophomore album from the singer, songwriter and international superstar. The album includes production from Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker, Emile Haynie, Diplo and Supa Dups, as well as the Smeezingtons, Mars' three-man songwriting and production team. He notes that the album is more musically varied and refuses to "pick a lane". "Locked Out of Heaven" was released as the lead single from the album. It has been described as having strong influences of New Wave, with striking resemblances to "Message in a Bottle" and "Roxanne" by the Police, the Romantics' "Talking in Your Sleep", and even Michael Jackson's "Beat It", while some have mildly referenced it to the Outfield's "Your Love".

Vinyl LP pressing including digital download. 2016 release, the highly-anticipated third album from critically-acclaimed, multi-Grammy winning international megastar Bruno Mars. 24K Magic is Bruno's first solo release in nearly four years. Written and produced by Shampoo Press & Curl, the first single and title track, 24K Magic sees Bruno bringing the bounce to his adoring fans. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age and performed in various musical venues in his hometown throughout his childhood. After being dropped by Motown Records, Mars signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 2009. The rest is history

2016 release, the highly-anticipated third album from critically-acclaimed, multi-Grammy winning international megastar Bruno Mars. 24K Magic is Bruno's first solo release in nearly four years. Written and produced by Shampoo Press & Curl, the first single and title track, "24K Magic" sees Bruno bringing the bounce to his adoring fans.

Digitally remastered edition. 2022 marked the 60th Anniversary of this pivotal single and album by pioneering soul/funk house band-turned-international supergroup, who reimagined the soul landscape with their Memphis sound.

A contrafact is a method of composing a new melody and arrangement on a pre-existing musical composition using its chord progression. In jazz, one of the most famous examples is “Hot House” (Tadd Dameron) based on “What Is This Thing Called Love?” (Cole Porter). Baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan has been intrigued by this particular way of composition for a number of years. His first album on SteepleChase last year SCCD 31844 “Alternative Contrafacts” is a superlative example of his interest. Here on this new release “Our Contrafacts” is a collection of new contrafacts by contributed by each member of the trio. “While there are occasional short solos by Wong and Green, the focus throughout is on Smulyan, who has yet to record an unworthy record or play an uninspired chorus. His passionate sound and fresh ideas make Alternative Contrafacts a set well worth picking up, particularly by straight ahead jazz collectors.” (Scott Yanow – NYC Jazz Records on SCCD 31844)

Ella Fitzgerald - "Let No Man Write My Epitaph (Verve Acoustic Sounds Series)" - Verve Label Group; Jazz; Considered one of Ella's greatest recordings, she's backed on this 1960 release by pianist Paul Smith. Let No Man Write My Epitaph was a 1960 Hollywood movie featuring Fitzgerald. The album hits at a rare depth of emotional understanding and once again establishes Fitzgerald as one of the supreme interpreters of the Great American Songbook. Verve's Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.

12 Holiday classics that topped charts upon it's release in 1966, done in the instantly recognizable style of the Memphis Group.

Jazz critic Owen Cordle once described Dick Oatts as “an uncompromising jazz musician, one who possesses monster chops without trumpeting them.” Dick Oatts has, since his move to NYC in the late 70s, been one of the most sought-after soloists on alto sax on both the NY scene and the international stage. Dick Oatts’ sensitive and cerebral approach to music enhanced by his “monster chops” manifested here again on his 11th leader album on SteepleChase. “… maybe the best showcase we've ever heard for the alto sax work of Dick Oatts!” (Dusty Groove on Sweet Nowhere SCCD 31778)